Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1887-06-24
The Slayer Fund.
FUND THAT HAS BEEN ADMINIsT Err ED


| "A OND THAT HAS BEEN AOhAISloA 11ls LII
FOR SIXTY YEARS.
| 1t is probable that though what is called
the Shayer's Fund has been administered
! for the benefit of education IN this city FOR
sixty years; that for two generations ap-
pointments of scholars to share its bene-
fits have been made every year, and that
some of our most useful men and women
have been aided by it in their early educa-
ton, very few of our citizens know what
it is Or anything of its history. At the
High School commencement last Thurs
day night, Mr.. Jos. B. Woodward OF the
Board of School Trustees, who presented
the scholarships for graduates, award
ed under it, gave an interesting history of
| the fund itself.
He said that about sixty years ago there
lived in the then Burrough of Staunton,
an old maiden lady named Margaret Shay =
er. This old lady was of very benevolent
turn of mind. and being the owner of con-
siderable property she made last will and
testament in the year 1929, beginning
with the words, 'sIn the name of God.
amen,'' and signed with her mark. In
this will she left the bulk of her property
in the hands Of her executors, John c..
Sewers and Samuel Clarke with discretion
to use it In whatever way they might think
best for the education of orphans and poor
children of the town of Stanton.
| This trust was faithfully executed by
, said executors as long as they lived, aud
after their death, John N. Hendren, the
| administrator of the last surviving eXecu-
tor, Samuel Clarke, instituted a chancery
suit in the Circuit Court Of Augusta un-
der the style of Samuel Clarke's admir- vs..
the Town of Staunton, the chief object of
| which was to get the direction of the
| Court as to the disposition of the residue
of said fund, which remained in the hands
of his intestate at his death, and amounted
to something over $4,000.
| At this time, 1858, it happened that
| there were three Female Seminaries and
one Male school IN Staunton, in their in
fancy. poorly endowed and struggling for
| existence. | refer to the Augusta Female
Seminary. the Virginia Female Institute,
l WIG w C0iCy Lu L CU1nlO IuoUlpUUC anu UIO
| SGaunton Academy. These institutions,
| through their constituted authorities,
made TO the court a proposition in writ
| ing to the effect that if the court would
i direct the distribution Of this fund equally
amongst them.to be safely secured by lien
on real estate, they would each, in
consideration therefor, give to three
orphan or other poor children OF Staunton
the benefit of their regular course of
| studies, exclusive of the ornamental
branches, it being provided that SO long
as this number Of orphans or poor chill
oren of Staunton were admitted each year
to these institutions upon the terms of the
proposition, those institutions doing 80
were to be charged no interest on the
fund.
The court accepted the offer, the money
was turned over. and by decree in the
win, Col. George Baylor and Archibald D.
Trotter were appointed commissioners,
whose duty it was made annually to select
from among the poor children of Staun-
ton, nine girls and three boys. three of
which girls were to be entered in each of
the three Female Summaries named, and
the three boys to be entered in the Staun-
| ton Academy.
| AS deaths or removals from Staunton
occurred from time to time, causing vacan-
cies in this appointing board, these vacan-
cies were supplied by new appointments
of the court, till at present that commission
| consisted of Me ssrs. w. j. Nelson, John B.
Hoge and J. B. Woodward.
This Board have thought it wise in adj
ministering this sacred trust to make it
not only an acceptable and much needed
| gift to the orphans or other poor children
I of the city, thereby enabling them to get
the benefit of liberal education, which
would otherwise be beyond their reach,
and thus giving to such an honorable sup
| port by teaching; but they have also
| sought to make these scholarships re ward
for meritorious standing in our Public
might be made by them in their selections
they have sought the aid of our worthy
| Superintendent and of the Board of Trus-
| tees.
There are at present three vacancies to
be filed, two in the Virginia Female In
stitute and one in the Wesleyan Female
Institute, and these vacancies will be filled
this time. It is probable there will also
be a vacancy in the Augusta Female Sem
mary, of which the commission is not at
this time fully informed. If it should &C.
cur, the Commission have selected to fill
it Miss Lizzie Hogshead.
For the vacancies in the Virginia
Female Institute they have selected Miss
Cora Shepherd and Miss Carrie Bell, and
for the vacancy in the Wesleyan Female
Institute, Miss Florence Moore.